Charleroi will be fined €50,000 after the match against Mechelen in the league was finally stopped on Saturday night, Pro League CEO Lorin Parys confirmed on Twitter.
"A spectacular day of sport in Charleroi ruined by an anticlimax," Parys wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “I had a meeting today with the fan federations who disapprove of this behaviour in unison."
"We will act accordingly. The club can expect a fine of €50,000 from the Pro League and disciplinary sanctions from the URBSFA (Belgian Football Union)."
Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
The match between Charleroi and Mechelen was brought to a halt after 67 minutes of play on Saturday by the throwing of flares and smoke bombs onto the pitch by Charleroi supporters when they were leading 1-0.
Charleroi – nicknamed the Zebras –could lose the game by forfeit.
The Charleroi fans began disrupting the game from the very start, when they began throwing tennis balls and smoke bombs onto the pitch in protest at their team's recent results.
Charleroi's Adem Zorgane holding a tennis ball thrown by fans onto the pitch. Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
After 14 minutes of play, the match was interrupted for 10 minutes due to further smoke throwing by the Charleroi supporters.
The Zebras supporters did it again after 67 minutes by throwing smoke bombs, forcing referee Jasper Vergoote to abandon the match.
Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
